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What is 'Blackout Tuesday' and who's doing it?

Celebrities, sports teams join social media movement highlighting racial injustice
Posted at 11:18 AM, Jun 02, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-02 11:18:09-04

If you're seeing a lot of black on social media, that's not by accident.

"Blackout Tuesday" is part of a social media movement highlighting racial injustice.

The event began in the music industry as a protest against police brutality in the U.S., but has since evolved, with celebrities, sports teams and other prominent figures joining in the movement.

Among those Florida teams to participate were the Miami Heat and Florida Gators.

Music executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang spearheaded the effort to shutter normal business operations on June 2 with their #TheShowMustBePaused hashtag, calling on the industry to "take a beat for an honest reflective and productive conversation about what actions we need to collectively take to support the black community."

Several white musicians, including Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, said they would participate in the movement.

It's not just for celebrities, though. Anyone who wants to participate can do so by posting a black square on Instagram or Twitter, along with the hashtag #BlackoutTuesday.